Patriot Day 2009

September 11th Memorial wall in Second Life is etched with nearly 3,000 names of victims of the 2001 terrorist attack against the United States

A Prayer of Hope and Healing for Patriot Day



By Mary Fairchild

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today is a difficult day. The memories are painful and some of the wounds I fear may never heal. Yet I pray you will help me to go on living for truth, firm in my hope of your salvation. May I live for you, Lord, and by doing so, be an example to my friends and family. I pray, just like Jesus, I may learn obedience through these things that I have suffered. Help me not to question why, yet even if I do, give me courage to continue to trust you. Help me take the comfort and strength you've poured into my life and use it to comfort and strengthen others who need hope.

I pray I might become a better person and help make the world a better place because of this terrible event. Thank you for the heroes that gave so sacrificially on September 11. Help me to remember their courage and learn from them. I want my life to be worthy of you Lord, so make of it what you desire, and use me to fulfill your purposes. May the evil of that day cause me and my family to work harder to do good on this Earth and to bring your light into the dark places. Help me to never stop believing in you and living my life for you.

Lord, heal all those who were crushed and broken on that day. May they come to experience your presence and know your peace.

Amen.






More Information:
September 11 - Bible Verses for Patriot Day
National September 11 Memorial & Museum
September11thMemorial.com
911-Remember.com
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It's Been a While

I feel like I have been neglecting this blog and I am hoping to remedy that. So, be on the lookout for more frequent posting!

In the interim, please check out our new neat FaceBook box at the top of the blog!

See you soon!! Read more!

Welcome the Pad

A discussion about feminine products and my evolutionary views on them as I have aged into my 30's.

When you're young and hip and on the go, you tend to use certain "products" over others during your Aunt Flo's visit. Am I right? And, let's be honest, when you're young the tampon is what most women use. Especially in this day and age when it seems (to me, at the risk of sounding prudish) like young women are wearing less and less. We can't have that bothersome pad sticking out and ruining our outfit, can we?

However, since having a baby, my views have changed. And I am uncertain as to whether it's to do with the fact that something so large came out of an opening that was so small, but tampons just don't seem to FIT like they used to.

And, since I was bleeding after giving birth for about 5 weeks, I got to know the pad a little better. We became friends, of a sort. And, if you haven't checked them out lately, the pads of today are not your mother's pads. They are very thin, have great adhesive, and don't feel at all like a diaper.

Tampons on the other hand don't seem to stay in place. I sneeze and it seems to dislodge. And I have used everything from regular to super with the same results on all counts.

So, what gives? Am I just getting old? Maybe so, but I have never been happier than I am with my pad. If you haven't tried them out in a while and are looking for a change, try them out! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Let's just hope I remember how to use a tampon when my daughter is old enough to use them.




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Courteous, Polite, Kind

These are words that we want people to associate with our children, aren't they? How awesome does it feel when someone compliments you on your child's behavior? I have gotten compliments on my 22-month-old so I can safely tell you that it is pretty awesome. It makes you feel like you are doing something right. So, the questions is, why do we want to instill traits and behaviors in our children that we do not ourselves pattern?

We "roll through" that stop sign but if our teenage child did the same we'd surely say something. We complain when the neighbor has a party, but when it's our turn we are just as loud.

Ever since having a baby I have learned a little more about consideration for others. This is because I am considerate (or at least try to be) for my child. You would think that having children would make you sensitive to the difficulties others have, especially in a neighborhood situation where there are many children involved. But I have found this to NOT be the case and, frankly, it has me baffled.

We live in a "do as I say not as I do" society and adults are terrible when it comes to manners, and being kind and polite. I was stuck on the side of the road a couple of months ago with a flat tire. It wasn't a highway and people were driving by at a rate of several a minute. It took me 45 minutes to get the stupid lug nuts off the tire to change it out. I had 4 of 5 off when one of the probably 50 people that passed me by in that span of time (about 30 minutes) finally stopped to help me. I appreciated the help but it was too late to make any kind of time difference for me. The moral of the story is that people want someone to stop for them but aren't willing to stop and help someone else. It's so easy to say "Oh yeah, I would totally stop and help someone." and then never have the opportunity to do so. It's another thing altogether to actually stop and help when you do.

Another case in point is my neighbors. Of the 23 (or so) houses on my street (which is a cul-de-sac), about 17 (or so) of them have kids. It's a great street for kids and we love it, for the most part. Our house is the center house at the end of the street. So when the kids play outside, it's right outside my house in front of my driveway (and very loud because apparently screaming is conducive to having fun ^_^) and we don't mind at all (and I don't remember ever complaining about noise).

Everyone on the street knows I have a toddler. She is one of the youngest on the street. They also know her bed time and that her bedroom is in the front of the house above the garage. They know this because I have mentioned it several times both in person and via e-mail. And while some people are considerate, all that knowledge doesn't stop others from doing things like lighting off fireworks on the 4th of July and on New Year's late into the night. You know, for the kids. (Luckily I have been blessed with a heavy sleeper)

I am the type of parent who doesn't keep her kid up for my convenience. Because when she is up too late it is decidedly inconvenient for me and my husband (if he's home) for the rest of the night and likely the next day. And I know it's just because of her age and when she gets older the whole "staying up late" thing will be easier (and harder for other things).

I know this is probably coming off bad, but I really don't mean to chastise parents who do keep their kids up for selfish reasons. We are all selfish from time to time. But my daughter thrives on her routine, which we established right from the beginning. They tell me all the time at daycare how she is the most routine child they have. And I take pride in that because she knows exactly what to expect and when to expect it (for the most part). Part of that routine is a stringent bedtime, which is timed for when she is really too tired to go on in order to get her needed sleep in for the night and not be cranky the next day. This is the reason we don't go out at night...well, that and we are just homebodies who are happiest relaxing in the home that we love. (I have considered a babysitter but I'm not there yet)

Since becoming a parent, I have developed a consideration for other people and their children that I assumed other people with children also have. Boy, am I wrong. And being wrong about that makes me sad. I'll admit that I am judgmental when it comes to parenting. It's stupid and I try to keep it to myself and vent only to my husband when I see things like a 16-month-old (who is much smaller than my 22-month-old in 2T) in size 4T clothing, or when I see a child under 6 holding a firecracker while their grandmother lights it and tells them to throw it (while filming the whole thing). To me, those things represent irresponsible parenting. But, who am I to judge? I promise you I am no saint.

I just wish that people really "did unto others as they would have done unto them" like we are taught as children. Imagine a world where people really do stop to help; a world where people don't chastise you for being a "party-pooper" when you ask them to quiet down (or heck just have some plain old consideration and follow the local noise ordinances) because your baby is sleeping. Imagine the world we would be handing our children if we, as adults, just exemplified the manners and etiquette that we expect from our children. I know I'd like to see that world.

So, next time someone tries to cut you off (whether it's on the parking lot, in the grocery store, or on the highway, etc.), why not let them in instead of stepping on the gas for a change? Next time you are running late, make sure to STILL stop at that stop sign (because it doesn't save you time really). And next time someone asks you to turn down the noise, accommodate them. Just the once.

On the other hand, give people the benefit of the doubt. (she says as she judges ^_^) I try to, really I do. I always give people a chance, even two chances! I don't assume you never stop at that stop sign just because I saw you run it once. I'll even walk with my daughter in the street because your car is (illegally) blocking the sidewalk. Maybe you have a reason for not pulling all the way into the driveway?

Moral of the story? The next time you are given an opportunity to be one of those things (essentially the "bigger" person), give it a try!! It feels good to be courteous, polite, and kind, I promise. (your children can see the double standard when you aren't)


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National Ice Cream Month

You may not be aware that such a thing existed but July is National Ice Cream Month!

It was designated such in 1984 by then President Ronald Reagan with the third Sunday of the month designated as "Ice Cream Day". This year, that Sunday falls on July 19th.

For some Ice Cream Facts (Courtesy of IceCream.com)

• It takes 12 lbs. of milk to make just one gallon of ice cream. Wonder how they fit it all in one carton?


• The U.S. enjoys an average of 48 pints of ice cream per person, per year, more than any other country. Maybe we should make ice cream the fifth food group!


• It takes an average of 50 licks to polish off a single-scoop ice cream cone. Challenge your family to a Lick-a-Thon, and see who finishes first!


• The biggest ice cream sundae in history was made in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in 1988, and weighed in at over 24 tons. You can't order that in an ice cream parlor!


• In 2003, Portland, Oregon bought more ice cream per person than any other U.S. city. Looks like everyone else has a lot of catching up to do!


• The ice cream cone's invention is linked to the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. An ice cream vendor reportedly didn't have enough dishes to keep up with the demand, so he teamed up with a waffle vendor who rolled his waffles into cones!

So, go out and enjoy some ice cream! It is summer and many of us could use the cool break from the heat outside.

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An "Ideal" Life?

When you make the decision to become a parent, you have ideas about how you want to raise your child and what kind of parent you want to be. You have seen how well your parents did and what mistakes they made and you vow to be and do better.

But, is such an idealistic way of parenting reality? Being the parent of a toddler, I find it incredibly hard to abide by the "rules" I have set for myself as a parent. And I am strict.

There is no cursing in front of the toddler. That little mimicker is already picking up my bad habits of picking up the bowl to get the last scrapings of food (it's cute but messy). The last thing I need is for a curse word to "slip out" in public. And I think I must have hit the cat once or twice in front of her because she seems to think it's not only okay, but fun to do. Not to mention the yelling. I mean I am not a yeller, at least so I thought, but she sure likes to test out her volume. I just wish she would wait until I'm not driving to do it.

We all have cutesy-fun stories about toddler woes, don't we? And we all, universally, think that our kid is the brightest and the most adorable. I mean friends and family agree, right? No one has told you that your kid is ugly and dumb; that's just plain rude and not what we do in the "civilized" society we live in.

It's a delicate balance to live your life while providing the best life you can for your child(ren). You don't want to lose "yourself" while gaining this new personality that is your child. You need time for yourself, but choosing what to do in that time is a delicate balance. Do you read a book (just because you want to) or do the dishes? Do you play your Nintendo DS or clean up from the day? God knows it seems like those moments that you have to yourself are dwindling more and more. (or is it just me?)

Personally, I am in the middle of about 3 parenting books right now. I try to fit them in when I have a minute. But it's both a chore and something that I want to do, if that makes sense. See, I want to be the best parent I can be and I know I'm not an expert at it. I've only been at it for about 21 months now and this is the first (and only) time for me. I am also reading my Mother-In-Law's journals that she kept from when my husband was a new baby and "Dead Until Dark". I hope to finish the latter in the next couple of months, not to mention I am about 8 weeks behind on my People Magazines.

So, back to ideal parenting. You want your kid to be the smartest and the cutest and the first to do everything. And it's so incredibly INCREDIBLY hard NOT to speak up when "Donna Reed" is bragging about little Emma and her latest accomplishments. But I try to not say anything about my kid unless asked. You know why? Because if Willow isn't where whatever the kid that is being bragged about is, it makes me feel like a terrible mother. I mean if little Emma can name all the animals in the jungle, shouldn't Willow be able to? You begin to question your parenting. Maybe I'm not working with her enough. Should I enroll her in an early learning program or get a tutor? You get the idea.

The thing I try to remember is that kids are kids and they learn when they learn. Some kids Willow's age (21 months old) are talking less than her and some are talking more. Some are potty trained and some (like Willow) aren't.

My new "ideal parenting motto" is to "wait until Willow is ready". She has NEVER failed to let us know when she is ready to try something new or give up something old. Now, I am perfectly aware that this isn't going to last forever. I can't always wait until she is ready for something. Part of being a parent is deciding when it's time to lend a helping hand and guide your child in the direction that you'd like them to end up, right?

So what's the point of this post? The point of this post is to remind everyone that no one is the perfect parent. And no matter how well you plan and what ideals you adopt, parenting is never straight forward and is almost always a guessing game. Sure, you have the experience of the child(ren) you have raised should you have more than one, but since every child is different no two parenting experiences are the same (even with the same parents).

The point is to give yourself a break. I know I am working on it. I am not perfect and Willow doesn't really need me to be. As long as she is happy overall, that's all that matters.




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Best Selling Car in America?

I saw this on the NBC Nightly News and thought it was hilarious...

June 11: The yellow and red Little Tikes Cozy Coupe sold more than 457,000 units in 2008 - more than any other car in the U.S. NBC's Brian Williams reports. (Nightly News)

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

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Happy Anniversary Mommy Vomitpants!!

I honestly can't believe I have had this thing for a year now. Who would have thought that a name that came to me after my (at the time) 8 month old daughter vomited on me for the umpteenth time would turn in to what you see today?

I have worked very hard to make this blog informative and I spend hours researching topics that I come across as my daughter goes about the business of growing up. And, as a first (and only) time parent it's an experience I wouldn't trade for the world.

To keep this fun, I thought I'd share some little glimmers of wisdom I have earned in my path to blogging. I hope you like them and find them at least a little humorous. ^_^

Things I have learned in creating this blog:

• Never let people get to you - it creates problems and letting them get to you doesn't solve them. Some people are opinionated and their opinion is different from yours. That doesn't (always) make it a bad opinion (except when it does).


• Don't expect miracles - if you expect a trough of people to amazingly "find" and love your blog, you are dreaming. People find blogs through you advertising your blog or from doing keyword searches. I have advertised via Google and FaceBook and gotten good results with traffic.


• Blog for you, not them - blogging is work and if you don't like it you will end up hating it. I always blog for myself (and my family) first and my readers second. When I finally got this blog to look the way I wanted it to (now I want to change it up but don't have time) it was such a HUGE sense of accomplishment. If you have money to blow, I recommend hiring someone to set it up for you. Otherwise there will be hair missing from your head because you will have pulled it out wondering where that obscure HTML tag that you have wrong or need is.


• If you think you will make a ton of money on your blog, think again - it costs money to make money and this is as true as ever with blogging. You may think you have taken hold of undiscovered country but I pretty much guarantee that there are a ton of blogs out there just like yours. That's why I blog more for fun than anything else. I have used Amazon and Google and FaceBook and made a grand total of ZERO dollars on this blog. Not that I am (really) complaining (overly much).


• There is no need to blog every day - I thought (wrongly) that I should blog every day at the beginning. I am now much happier (and slightly less insane) now that I write posts when I feel a need (mostly when something new happens with Willow like grinding her teeth or getting attacked by fireants) and not out of obligation to anyone.


• Always remember it's a mad mad mad mad world out there and that is even more true when it comes to the blogsphere.

I can safely say that i still feel good about this blog and I hope my readers feel good about it too. I wish I had more people commenting but I'll take what I can get.

I could go on and on, but I won't.

Happy Anniversary MVP. It's been a long (and oddly short) 12 months since we met, but I am so very glad we did because I can talk with other parents (armed with well researched information) about a myriad of topics that I hadn't a clue about a year ago. I love being able to help people and this blog has helped me to do that. And that makes me happy and a better parent.
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Amazon Dream Baby Registry Sweepstakes

Would you like to win $3000 worth of items for your baby? Then, please enter the Amazon Dream baby Registry Sweepstakes by clicking on the link (<--) or on the banner below.

There is no purchase necessary!!

Enter to win the Amazon Dream baby Registry Sweepstakes, plus a year's supply of Huggies Supreme diapers! Ends 12/31/09.

Participating is easy, just follow these steps:

• Go to the Amazon.com Baby Registry.


• Create a Baby Registry.


• Add 10 items or more to your new Registry.


• Within a week you'll receive an email from Amazon.com notifying you that you've been entered.


• One winner will be selected each month from May through December to win a Dream Registry valued at over $3,000, including a year’s supply of Huggies Supreme diapers.


• For additional details, see our frequently asked questions and Official Rules.

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Happy Tax Day!

Tax Day has arrived. If you got a refund, you are probably like most people and have already spent it but if you have to pay, you are probably waiting until as late as you can today to send in that payment and still make the postmark deadline.

Either way, it's mid-April and the year is going by so quickly that I can't believe it!! I mean, wasn't it just Valentine's Day and now it's almost Mother's Day?

Willow is growing up so quickly, I can barely keep up. And this summer should be an extra fun one since she is finally to the point where she can play on a play set! So, we are hoping to get one for her this year, and I have a specific one in mind that I will talk about if we get one.

Until then I am working on a post or two to come out soon, the first one being on "Sandbox Safety" since we are planning on getting Willow a sandbox this year.

So, please be on the lookout! And if you have a suggestion for a topic you'd like me to talk about or you have a question you'd like me to research, please comment or contact me via the "contact" link at the top right of the blog and I'll get right on it!

Have a great week!!

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Tired of Getting Junk Mail?

Maybe I can help you to rid yourself of it, for a while at least!!

Did you know that the average person receives 41 pounds of junk mail every year?

Holy crap that's a lot of trees for the over 300 MILLION people in America, am I right? And these days, with everyone trying to "go green", what better time to rid your mailbox of that tired junk mail?

Now, what can you do to lessen the amount of junk mail you get every day? Well, there are a couple of things.

Believe it or not there are services out there that you can hire to call companies on your behalf to get rid of the junk mail. In particular, there are two non-profit organizations who are there to help.

The first one is called 41 Pounds. From their website: "41pounds.org is a nonprofit organization working to eliminate a big personal nuisance and environmental hazard — junk mail. Our name comes from the amount of junk mail the average person receives each year (credit card applications, catalogs, coupon books, etc.) which for the most part goes directly into the trash can or recycling bin. Even with recycling programs all over the country, the majority of household waste is junk mail, and paper takes up about 40% of landfill space!

41pounds.org was founded by three brothers in Ferndale, Michigan (a suburb of Detroit) in 2006. Since then, 41pounds.org has grown by word of mouth and through partnerships with nonprofit organizations who share our goals and our excitement about the impact of stopping junk mail."

Once you sign up for their service they contact about 20-30 companies to stop the mail. They charge $41 for 5 years of stoppage. I guess $8.50 a year isn't too bad...

The second company is called Green Dimes. They promise to reduce your junk mail by 90% in 90 days. They have your name removed from 9 common mailing lists (used by thousands of marketers) and call all of the companies who are already sending you catalogs. Then, they monitor the marketing lists on a monthly basis to assure that your name remains off the list for good.

As a bonus, they plant five trees for every member!

The price? Well, it's kind of hefty at $20 a year. But they seem to more closely monitor your status than 41 Pounds does.

If you don't have the money to spend on a service you can always resort to the always trusty "do it yourself" method. How do you do it? Well, you start off by calling all of the companies who mail you catalogs and ask them to stop!

An even more effective thing to do is to call the people who maintain the databases yourself! (Novel idea, right?)

There is a group called the Abacus Catalog Alliance who maintain a database that marketing companies use to send catalogs. You can contact them and have your name removed from their list. You can find their "opt out" information by clicking here.

You can also contact the Direct Marketing Association and choose which mailings you'd like to receive and which you'd like to discontinue. once you make your choices they remain in effect for 3 years. You can click here for more information on choosing your mailings from the DMA. You can also be removed from commercial e-mail lists (effective for 5 years).

Lastly, are you tired of all the credit card offers you get in the mail? Well, you can visit OptOutPreScreen.com, which is the official Consumer Credit Reporting Industry website. They accept and process requests from consumers to Opt-In or Opt-Out of firm offers or either credit or insurance. The best part? It's FREE!!

For more information on junk mail and responsible consumption please visit New American Dream.

What are you waiting for? Start making calls!! Until you can opt out, be sure to recycle that paper!! ^_^

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Securing Your Child's Credit

I bet you never knew that it was possible to put what amounts to a permanent (well, until you remove it) freeze on your child's credit. I bet you never even thought about it. Well, you should be thinking about it, especially in this day and age (recession) when credit is tight and identity theft is rampant.

Your child has perfect credit, right? What's to prevent someone from steeling their social security number and going to town? Well, YOU are!

Don't know what a "credit freeze" is? Well, according to USA Today, "The weapon is the credit freeze, also known as a security freeze. When you place a freeze on your credit reports, credit card issuers, lenders and others can't check your credit history. Without that information, they won't issue credit. And that also means criminals can't set up new accounts in your name."

As you probably already know, there are three credit reporting agencies and each has to be notified separately of your request. The cost is typically $10 per request, or $30 (give or take) per child and all three agencies basically request the same thing, identification (including proof of residence like a utility bill and social security number), the processing fee, and a letter stating your intent. And, the letter should be certified (some require it) to be certain that the sensitive information you are mailing gets to the right people.

Now, this is a no brainer for your minor child, right? I mean you don't need a 10 year old with a credit card. But, a security freeze might be something you want to consider for yourself as well. However, you should be wary. "A credit freeze will protect you from new-account fraud, but it has a downside: If you want to apply for a mortgage, car loan or credit card, you'll need to contact all three of the main credit bureaus — TransUnion, Experian and Equifax — and unfreeze your credit reports. Most states give the credit bureaus three business days to temporarily lift or remove the freeze, a problem if you're in a hurry to get a loan."

Did you know that "new-account fraud is one of the most pernicious forms of identity theft? If someone uses your credit card number to buy, say, designer shoes online, you can dispute the charges when you receive your credit card bill. In new-account fraud, though, criminals use stolen information to open accounts in your name. Sometimes, they arrange for the bills to go to a different address. You might not realize you've been victimized until the unpaid bills have trashed your credit record."

So, it's something to think about. Not everyone has $30 (give or take) laying around, especially if you have several children, but think about it this way; $30 is more than worth the expense due to the hassle you have to go through to get rid of identity theft and credit fraud. Am I right?


More information:

• Equifax Security Freeze (certified letter required)


• Experian Security Freeze (on line available, but not for minor children)


• Transunion Security Freeze (on line available, but not for minor children and they sent back the fee meaning that to freeze the credit of a minor, it is free!!)

ETA: New story in the news on 04/01/09: An 11-Year-Old With Bad Credit? Mother Fights for Son's Identity

ETA (4/15/09): Got letters back from all three credit reporting agencies. They all say that freezing the credit of a minor is not possible since an account for them does not exist. HOWEVER, you have the option of directing them to open an account and add a letter stating that she is not to be allowed credit until she reaches 18 years of age.

I am not sure what the better course of action is but the lady at TransUnion was adamant that it's not possible for a minor to have credit extended to them. I guess she hasn't seen the article I linked to above.

I'll keep you updated!

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Now on Facebook!

We have a page on FaceBook now, so please become a fan if you are a FaceBook member!!

And if you ever have any ideas for something you'd like me to talk about or a question that you'd like answered, please let us know using the "Contact" link on the top right of the page!! Read more!

Happy Fat Tuesday!!

We are having a "Fat Tuesday" pot luck here at work and when I mentioned it to my husband he told me he thought the whole idea of Fat Tuesday was silly. When I asked him why he explained that it was kind of like New Years when people eat too much before they vow to diet. It's celebrating gluttony.

Honestly I never paid much attention to Mardi Gras until here at my new job (have I really been there over a year?) and people were bringing in "King Cakes" with the little baby inside (not a real baby, a little baby figurine). So, I didn't know that Fat Tuesday was the day before Ash Wednesday and the gluttony was in preparation for giving something up for Lent (the giving up often times has something to do with not eating something you love to eat).

Since I have started attending church again in preparation for Willlow's Baptism in April (not that I plan on specifically NOT attending Church after that), I find the whole thing fascinating!! So, here's a short lesson on Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday. (We'll leave the Lent discussion for another time *wink*)

So, where did Mardi Gras even come from anyway?? Well, according to Holidays.net; "Historians tell us that the ancient Romans probably kicked off the Mardi Gras celebrations. Their mid-February festival known as Lupercalia honored the god Lupercus, alternately known as the god of fertility and the god of agriculture and pastoral shepherds. In either case, his party definitely had Mardi Gras-like qualities, including days of feasting and drinking. And a little enjoying the "pleasures of the flesh", probably, too -- in fact, the term Carnival, often synonymous with Mardi Gras, is derived from the Latin expression meaning "farewell to the flesh."

"Like most of the ancient Roman and Greek festivals, Lupercalia was adopted and adapted by the Church as a way of subtly converting the local pagans to Christianity. The carnival-like celebration of Lupercalia thus morphed into a last "fling" before the beginning of the Lenten period. Lent refers to the 40 days of pertinence and purification celebrated between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. During Lent, the religiously faithful refrain from a number of indulgences of the "flesh", including eating meat."

This celebration by the Romans quickly spread across Europe and it was the French who brought it to America.

You would think that living in the South (and so close to New Orleans) I would have had a clue. But then I live in Houston and I have never been to Galveston so there you go.

If you celebrate Mardi Gras then Happy Fat Tuesday!!

Now I just have to figure out what I am giving up for Lent... Read more!

Mrs. Prindables for Valentine's Day!

Now is the time to start looking for that Valentine Treat for your significant other!!

One of my favorite places to shop for sweet treats is always Mrs. Prindables!!

So, take a minute to peruse their delectable selection of caramel apples and other treats by clicking on the banner above!! You won't regret it!! Read more!

Happy Groundhog Day!!!

Phil Says "Six More Weeks of Winter!"

Phil's official forecast as read February 2nd, 2009 at sunrise at Gobbler's Knob:
Hear Ye Hear Ye

On Gobbler's Knob this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2009

Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators

Awoke to the call of President Bill Cooper

And greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths

After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers,

Phil proclaimed that his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers were World Champions one more time

And a bright sky above me

Showed my shadow beside me.

So 6 more weeks of winter it will be.

May all of your Groundhog wishes come true!! Read more!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Welcome to the Year of the Ox!

Not familiar with Chinese new Year? Let me tell you a little about it!

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is often called the Lunar New Year, especially by people in mainland China and Taiwan. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first lunar month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: zhēng yuè) in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called Lantern Festival. Chinese New Year's Eve is known as Chúxī. It literally means "Year-pass Eve".

According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called the Nian or "Year" in Chinese. Nian would come on the first day of New Year to devour livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year. It was believed that after the Nian ate the food they prepared, it wouldn’t attack any more people.

One time, people saw that the Nian was scared away by a little child wearing red. The villagers then understood that the Nian was afraid of the color red. Hence, every time when the New Year was about to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors. People also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nian. From then on, the Nian never came to the village again. The Nian was eventually captured by Hongjun Laozu, an ancient Taoist monk. The Nian became Hongjun Laozu's mount.

There are 12 zodiac signs associated with the Chinese calendar and every year is assigned an animal figure. This year corresponds with the Ox.

What does it mean to be an Ox? The Ox or the Buffalo sign symbolizes prosperity through fortitude and hard work. A person born during this year will be dependable, calm and methodical. A patient and tireless worker, he sticks to routine and conventions. Although he is generally fair-minded and a good listener, it is difficult to make him change his views as he is stubborn and often has strong prejudices.

So, if you know any Ox (born in 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009) be sure to congratulate them! Or, you can celebrate just because it's fun!! Read more!

Inauguration Day

Congratulations to President Barack Obama!!

No matter that your political affiliation is I hope you take some time to think positively of President Obama and have some hope for change for the future.

I am not personally someone who likes to pre-judge people and if you are a moral person, you should be obeying the "Golden Rule": "Do unto others as you would have done unto you."

Would you want someone to judge your performance before you even had a chance to prove yourself? Probably not.

Please give our President a CHANCE to make a change before criticizing him for his actions. The state of the Nation is not such that it can be fixed in one year or two years or even four years. I have hope for the future and I hope you do as well.

Read more!

On Being a Mother

That in which I fail and succeed...like all parents do.

I never realized what being a mother meant until I became one. I had (and have) a mother and my sister is a mother and my husband has a mother and they have mothers (some alive and some not) and on and on. You would think that with all of the mothers in the world there would be some kind of handbook or something that would guide us through and let us know what we need to do to be the best mother for our children.

But then you have to remember that every mother is different because every child is different and every family is different. You can have two families who live in the exact same house and work the exact same jobs and have the exact same children in the exact same order born on the exact same days and you will have two completely different families.

Like I said, you think you know what being a parent means. You observe others and you read books or watch television programs or talk to other mothers but it's still something that is so unique to you that I don't know if it's possible to "get" it before that baby changes your life forever.

I am not going to lie. I complain about the inconvenience of being a mother all the time. If not out loud, then in my head.

I am always tired. And now that Willow is teething (which means no more sleeping through the night) I sometimes feel like the 7th circle of Hell is the one where you never get to sleep. Sometimes I feel like a zombie and I wonder how I get through the day. And I try so hard to put on a non-tired face for Willow. She is only 16 months old, but she can still pick up on my feelings. What I do is I tap into her bubble of wonderfulness. I look at her beautiful face and listen to her contagious laughter and see her insatiable curiosity and it gets me through the day...most of the time.

But, like me, Willow has bad days too. And lately she is cutting the dreaded first molars and my life has a little more Hell in it so I have been a bit frazzled.

Like I have mentioned recently, I am reading Between Parent and Child. And reading the different situations outlined in the book really stir some emotions for me. I think it's because my childhood was so very unlike what Willow's childhood will be. And I think it's my drive to be the best mother I can be for my daughter and the best wife I can be for my husband that makes me ask myself how the parents in the book could possibly talk to their children the way that they do.

Then I remember how my parents talked to me and I wonder why they never thought to read this very same book, which was originally published in 1965. Did they not love me as much as I love Willow? Didn't they want to be the best parents that they could be? I think the answer to both of those questions is yes. Yes they love(d) me and yes they wanted to be good parents. And I really think that, they gave it a go the best that they knew how.

Being a mother is the most challenging thing I have ever done. Being a wife doesn't even come close. Not that sharing your life with another person is easy but it gets easier as the years pass. Being a parent is the single greatest sacrifice anyone can make because when your child is a baby your life and time are not your own. And I am okay with that. Heck, even if I wasn't okay with that I would have to be okay with it since it is my reality.

So, why am I writing here? I am writing here about my life and my situation since I am frazzled and it helps to get it all out. And because I know there are people out there like me who feel what I feel and can by sympathetic to my sleepless plight. And because I will need, in the future, to be reminded of these days gone by when all I had to worry about was getting a good night's sleep.

Read more!

The Electric Company

Are you looking for good educational programming for your school-aged child? Then look no further than The Electric Company!!

I am in my 30's. When I was a kid, The Electric Company was in reruns but I distinctly remember watching it. See, this was back in the day when children's programming wasn't on all day long. A friend of mine brought up the show and I looked into it and it is being revamped and re-released as of January 23, 2009!!

Do you remember this bit?



Do you know who that man on the left is? I think you'll be surprised to know that it is actually...

Morgan Freeman! Both he and Bill Cosby starred in the show! Who knew?

Anyway, while Sesame Street is for younger, pre-school children, The Electric company was (and is) targeted for school-aged children. So, if you have some of those, give it a try!! As a bonus, it airs on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) so you know it will be good, wholesome programming. Read more!